


Anger

by draculard



Series: Nightthrawn 15 Day Ficlets [2]
Category: Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Ascension Week, Character Study, International Fanworks Day 2021, M/M, Pre-Slash, Rarepair, standalone ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:28:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29404830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/draculard/pseuds/draculard
Summary: Thrawn’s been too quiet lately, Eli thinks.
Relationships: Nevil Cygni | Nightswan/Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo
Series: Nightthrawn 15 Day Ficlets [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2158710
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Anger

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Day 2 Prompt: “Anger.”
> 
> Come say hi on tumblr, I’m draculard there too

He’s been too quiet lately, Eli thinks. Ever since their half-defeat at the hands of Nightswan, Thrawn has been more contemplative than usual, barely responding whenever Eli speaks to him. There’s a part of Eli that wants to chalk it up to nerves over the upcoming court-martial, but he knows Thrawn better than that. There’s another part that blames exhaustion from all the parties Yularen keeps dragging them to, but even that doesn’t fully explain it.

It only clicks for him that night, after the latest party, when they’re sitting together in Thrawn’s hotel room. Thrawn’s tunic is discarded on the unused hotel bed  —  Eli’s suspected he hasn’t been sleeping, and now he knows for certain. He rolls up the sleeves of his dress shirt, sits down at the desk with an air of determination, takes out his datapad with a hard glint in his eyes.

Eli watches him for a moment as Thrawn pulls up three different tabs of data and starts analyzing them against each other.

“What are you looking for?” he asks, drawing closer.

Thrawn’s answer is short, his jaw tight. “Nightswan,” he says. 

He’s not nervous or depressed, Eli realizes, suddenly feeling like an idiot. He’s angry, like anyone would be in his position  —  angry to be bested even if only partially, determined not to let it happen again. He studies Thrawn’s hard-lined face, sees nothing there to contradict his assessment. He looks at the data instead.

“Do you need my help?” he asks.

Thrawn doesn’t stop to think about it. His answer is more measured than before, none of his anger staining his interactions with Eli. “No, Ensign,” he says. “You may go.”

Eli gives him a dubious look, considers a dozen different ill-advised statements, has to stop himself from reminding Thrawn to at least try to sleep tonight. He likes the determined look on Thrawn’s face too much to spoil the moment by patronizing him. He slips out of the door without another word.

And alone in his quarters, Thrawn sighs, relaxes a little further into his chair. During their brief conversation, he could see Ensign Vanto’s expressions out of the corner of his eye, knew about his lingering worries for Thrawn’s well-being, and knew too that he’s finally found an answer he can accept.

It’s the wrong answer. Vanto is just beginning to analyze people the way a warrior should, and it’s natural for him to make mistakes. He saw Thrawn’s concentration and clenched jaw and assumed he was angry.

Thrawn isn’t angry. He’s found, for the first time in his life, an opponent who matches him not just in integrity but also in skill. His life has been full of challenges and puzzles  —  his entire Imperial service, his collaboration with the Empire, his plans with the Chiss all require a strategic energy that keeps him busy and fulfilled. But this is the first time he’s found a puzzle that fills him not just with a sense of duty but with anticipation, enjoyment, excitement.

He tightens his fingers on his datapad. He isn’t angry.

He’s elated. 


End file.
